Our mission: Maine Voices for Palestinian Rights works to support nonviolent efforts toward an end to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and to recognize political and human rights and dignity for all Palestinian people. We also seek to achieve a mutually agreeable resolution to the injustice done to the Palestinians expelled from their ancestral homes. To accomplish these goals, we work through educational outreach to make vital information accessible and through fund raising to support humanitarian aid for Palestinians. MVPR believes that a lasting peace will come when all people in Palestine and Israel enjoy security, prosperity, justice and respect.

What we do: To fulfill our mission we work to educate the public (working with local schools and churches upon request), and encourage MVPR e-list members to contact our leaders on behalf of justice for Palestinians. We conduct fund raisers to support various organizations providing direct aid to Palestinians suffering from Israel’s siege of Gaza and repressive policies in the West Bank.

Rights denied to Palestinians:

The Right to marry and live with the person they choose and to bring their family together in the home of their choice without fear of their homes being arbitrarily demolished by bulldozers

The Right to dig wells on their own land or otherwise gain access to adequate clean water

The Right to protection against unreasonable intrusions and searches, and against arrest and imprisonment without due process of law

The Right to own property that cannot be seized and given to others on the basis of religion or ethnicity

The Right to their children’s protection from unwarranted arrest, abuse and imprisonment

The Right to freedom of movement throughout the Palestinian territories

The Right to non-discriminatory planning, zoning, construction, development, provision of public services, and use of scarce area resources

The Right to protection & redress against discriminatory racism, including denial of educational opportunities as well as abusive and violent actions by military, police, and hostile settlers

The Right to nonviolent protest against unfair laws and policies without state harassment, arrest, & imprisonment

The Right, internationally guaranteed by UN Resolution 194, “to return to their homes [from which they have been expelled from 1947 to the present] and live in peace with their neighbors”. (Resolution 194 has been affirmed over 110 times since it was approved in 1948.)